News

February 2, 2018 (MONTROSE, CO) — Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans announced this week that Lisa VanAllsburg has been recognized by the organization with an Outstanding Service Award.

Lisa VanAllsburg and her son Alexander

VanAllsburg is the office assistant at the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate and also assists in Donor Relations, a position she’s held since September, 2016.

Deidre Becker, director of finance and human resources at Habitat said, “Lisa is a valuable member of our team. She truly cares about people and brings a creative and thoughtful touch to her duties. Lisa has shown her dedication to Habitat for Humanity’s core purpose in a variety of ways, including volunteering at a variety of Habitat’s functions and Build Days.”

Colleen Burke, executive director at Habitat echoed the sentiment, “She’s a team player who dives in wherever she’s needed. She’s invaluable to our staff.”

VanAllburg was recognized by her fellow employees last week with a plaque and a gift certificate, as a token of their gratitude for her efforts.

“It’s our way of letting her know we appreciate her and everything she does,” said Burke.

VanAllsburg was touched by the award. “Working with such a wonderful group of people, our partner families and the community makes my job a pleasure every day,” she said.

After volunteering with several non-profits throughout Montrose, VanAllsburg was excited to join the Habitat staff. “The commitment to families and community make me proud to call Habitat a ‘second family’ for my son and I,” she said.

“Lisa plays a very important role in making sure we are running smoothly during this incredibly important time for our organization and community,” said Burke.

By 2020, Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans will have built seven new homes, including two new triplexes in Montrose and Ridgway, bringing their total new home construction to 59 homes since 1991.

First Presbyterian Church and Alpine Bank volunteer to help build Habitat for Humanity triplex

January 19, 2018 (MONTROSE, CO) – An open door is an oft-used analogy for opportunity, a metaphor likely not lost on Alpine Bank of Montrose as they pledge $10,000 to cover the cost of every door for Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans’ new triplex housing project.

“These aren’t just any doors,” said Weesa Hild, event and volunteer coordinator at Habitat. “These doors will literally open up to a better life for three local families, including four children!”

Alpine Bank’s donation is only the latest demonstration of broad community support for the triplex project, according to Colleen Burke, executive director of the local Habitat affiliate.

This month alone hundreds of volunteer hours will be spent during Build Days, including one sponsored by Alpine Bank and another by the First Presbyterian Church in Montrose.

On Saturday, January 20, volunteers from the First Presbyterian Church in Montrose will gather at the triplex on 333 Park Avenue South, Montrose. The following Saturday, January 27, Alpine Bank’s employees will continue the work of raising the triplex’s second story walls.

Build Days, as events like these are called, are crucial to Habitat’s process. “It’s community outpouring like this that make our mission possible,” said Burke.

Build Days have also been scheduled for other regional groups including Target; Bank of Colorado; Coldwell Banker; Rotary Club of Montrose; Wells Fargo; Crossfit Agoge; and United Church of the San Juans. Coffee Trader generously provides free coffee at every Build Day while Jimmy John’s sponsors lunch.

Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans serves Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties and is currently planning and building new triplexes in both Montrose and Ridgway; bringing their total new home construction to 59 homes since 1991.

For more information about this event contact Weesa Hild, 970-252-9303 ext. 7.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Local Organizations Spend Day Building Homes

WHO: Volunteers from the First Presbyterian Church and Alpine Bank in Montrose.

WHAT: Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans Build Day at the Montrose Triplex.

November 22, 2017 (MONTROSE, CO) — Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans announced this week four families—including seven children—chosen to join their affordable mortgage home ownership program.

Two of the families will occupy the triplex currently under construction on Park Avenue in Montrose. The third, a family with multi-generational members, will work with the organization to build a home on Bluegrass Court in Montrose.

Montana Pizzarusso and her two children, Easton, age 2 and Jax, age 4 are already looking forward to spending more time together as a family.

“This opportunity means so much to us, the affordability will allow me to spend more time with my children,” said Pizzarusso.

Currently Pizzarusso works two jobs to pay her rent and bills. They’ve moved almost every year since Jax was born, most often due to affordability issues with the shifting and increasingly costly rental market. With a mortgage she can afford, Pizzarusso expects she’ll be able to work less and spend more time taking advantage of the “fresh mountain air, starry nights and loving people who make Southwest Colorado the best place to call home.”

Sarah Riley and her eight year old son Ezra have had similar experiences. The home they currently rent in is often cold and has exposed insulation. “You can feel the wind blow through the house,” said Riley. Her rent has also gone up over $200 since they began renting. “The biggest change for us will be living in a great neighborhood, downtown and for Ezra specifically, “he’s really looking forward to painting his room his favorite color -orange.”

There is one triplex home still available and Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans is currently accepting applications.

For Les and Kaitlyn Mascarenas, their growing brood includes Les’s elderly father, Isabella, age 10, her nine year old brother, Emilio and a new sibling on the way. For them, it’s all about having room to grow.

“Currently we rent a two bedroom house and are always caught up in trying to make ends meet,” said Mrs. Mascarenas.

Each family will volunteer at least 250 hours to help construct their home; upon completion of the triplex and the single family home, each of these families will purchase their home at a zero percent interest mortgage.

According to Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans, Executive Director Colleen Burke, the community is also leaning in with extraordinary support for these projects and families.

Build Days have also been sponsored by regional groups including Target, Bank of Colorado, Coldwell Banker, Wells Fargo, Crossfit Agoge, Alpine Bank and United Church of the San Juans who send their employees to the construction site for the day to help install floors and raise walls.

Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans serves Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties and is currently planning and building new construction on homes in both Montrose and Ridgway, which will bring their total new home construction to 59 homes since 1991.

Naturally, more volunteers are always needed and the entire community is encouraged to make an impact with these four families. “When you support Habitat, you’re helping neighbors achieve a simple, healthier and better life,” said Pizzarusso.

WHAT: Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans Build Day at the Montrose Triplex.

WHEN: Saturday, November 11, 2017, 8a.m. – 3p.m

WHERE: 333 Park Avenue South, Montrose.

CONTACT: Weesa Hild, 970-252-9303 ext. 7.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Rotary Club to Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Build Day

November 9, 2017 (MONTROSE, CO) – Fueled by coffee donated from Coffee Trader, this Saturday, volunteers from the Rotary Club of Montrose will gather at Habitat of Humanity of the San Juans’ new triplex build site in Montrose to help build three homes for local families.

From 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 11, volunteers will take the day to construct the first floor walls of the triplex.

“Build Days are crucial to our whole process. It’s committed volunteers like these, along with the families who will live in these homes, that make our mission possible,” said Weesa Hild, event and volunteer coordinator at Habitat.

The Rotary Club, among many other organizations has committed to Build Days as part of broad community support for the triplex project on 333 Park Avenue South, Montrose. The Rotary Club also made a cash donation towards construction costs.

Other sponsors of this particular project include DMEA, Alpine Bank, Academy Mortgage, Motley Architecture Design, Dynamic Integration, D&S Underground, City of Montrose, Montrose Women’s Club and Mesa Engineering and Surveying.

Build Days have also been scheduled for other regional groups including Target, Bank of Colorado, Coldwell Banker, Wells Fargo, Crossfit Agoge, Alpine Bank and United Church of the San Juans.

Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans serves Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties and is currently planning and building new construction on triplexes in both Montrose and Ridgway, which will bring their total new home construction to 58 homes since 1991.

For more information about this event contact Weesa Hild, 970-252-9303 ext. 7.

October 24, 2017 (MONTROSE, CO) – In January of 2000, Glenn and Michelle “Shelby” Ratliff, along with their five children, moved into their new Habitat for Humanity home. In 2004, Shelby passed away of a rare cancer. Nevertheless, Mr. Ratliff, sometimes with help from his children, paid off his twenty year mortgage in 17 years—and in doing so the Ratliff’s become the first Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans family to fully own their home.

Glenn Ratliff, photographed here, third adult from the right, with his family.

“The greatest thing about this house is that we did it all together,” said Ratliff.

Ratliff said the home, in honoring his late wife’s wishes, has always been a place open to anyone who needed a hand up. “More than once our home has been somewhere my children’s friends could stay if they were in hard times, or needed to sort out family issues.”

Like all Habitat families, the Ratliff’s contributed hundreds of volunteer hours into building their home.

As for paying off the mortgage, Ratliff said, “This hasn’t sunk in all the way, this is our house.”

Meanwhile, in Norwood, another Habitat success story with news that a family is selling their Habitat home, which they helped build in 2010, back to Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans. Thanks to the opportunity Habitat provided them, they’ve been able to save enough money to build a new home, thus returning their Habitat home back to the pool for another family to make great use of.

Colleen Burke, executive director of the local Habitat affiliate said, “These are two wonderful examples of how this model works. They were truly the right people for these mortgages, and their successes mirror what our organization is all about.”

Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans serves Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties and is currently planning new construction on triplexes in both Montrose and Ridgway, which will bring their total new home construction to 58 homes since 1991.

October 18, 2017 (MONTROSE, CO) – As many as twenty employees from DMEA and Elevate Fiber will gather at Habitat of Humanity of the San Juans’ new triplex build site in Montrose twice next week to help build three homes for local families.

Local employees take the day off to build Habitat’s latest home project

From 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. on both October 25 and 27, volunteers from both organizations will take the day off from work to spend their time and energy framing the first level floors of the three story homes; part of DMEA and Elevate Fiber’s partnership and commitment to helping Habitat build affordable homes.

“Build Days are a very important part of our whole process. What these committed volunteers will contribute is nothing short of amazing,” said Weesa Hild, event and volunteer coordinator at Habitat.

DMEA has committed to these Build Days as part of their broader sponsorship of the triplex project on 333 Park Avenue South, Montrose, in addition to a generous donation of $15,000 dedicated to construction costs.

“Concern for community is a founding principle for all cooperative businesses. That’s why our employees and board members are always focused on improving the lives of members. It’s also why over the past year, we’ve renewed our efforts to find meaningful ways to live out this principle. By partnering with Habitat for Build Days, we’re able to serve the community in a different way—DMEA is so much more than poles and wires,” said Becky Mashburn, DMEA Marketing Supervisor.

Other sponsors of this particular project include Alpine Bank, Academy Mortgage, Motley Architecture Design, Dynamic Integration, D&S Underground, City of Montrose, Montrose Women’s Club and Mesa Engineering and Surveying.

Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans serves Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties and is currently planning new construction on triplexes in both Montrose and Ridgway, which will bring their total new home construction to 58 homes since 1991.

For more information about this event contact Weesa Hild, 970-252-9303 ext. 7.

July 6, 2017 (MONTROSE, CO) — Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans will host a Customer Appreciation Day at their ReStore on July 15, from 9 – 4p.m.

Shoppers can expect up to 75% off items in the store and games and other attractions, including a Dunk Tank; horse carriage rides and a raffle for a Harley Davidson.

Food and drink will be provided by Off the Leash Gourmet Hot Dogs and A Taste of New Orleans Sno-Balls. Volunteers will also sell lemonade to benefit Habitat Kids Care, a program that outfits kids’ rooms within Habitat for Humanity homes.

Habitat staff will also host a class on how to repurpose chairs.

“This annual event goes a long way to help fund construction costs for new projects,” said Brandon Costello, Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans Retail Director.

Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans serves Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties and is currently planning new construction on triplexes in both Montrose and Ridgway, which will bring their total new home construction to 58 homes since 1991.

For more information about this event or to apply for a housing opportunity, visit buildinglives.org.

June 30 2017 (MONTROSE, CO) – MuuMuu’s, loud prints, sailor uniforms, and the sweet summer chords of the ukulele, just another summer night in Montrose, right?

Not quite, but Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans does intend to make August 19, their 5th Annual Moonshiner’s Ball, one of the most memorable nights of the year with their theme Vintage Aloha!

Each year the organization hosts a new spin on their Moonshiner theme and invite the entire community to eat, drink, dance and support their mission to build and repair homes in the region.

The Moonshiner’s Ball, sponsored by Bank of Colorado, will feature gourmet cuisine by Yellow Carrot, a silent auction, music and authentic Polynesian dancing and music by Denver based Kalama Polynesian Dancers, a live auction variety show, and a full bar!

“Think 1920’s Hawaiian Luau and prepare to have your coconuts shaking and grass skirts swinging, because this will be the bee’s knees gathering of the season,” said Habitat Executive Director, Colleen Burke.

The Moonshiner’s Ball is Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans biggest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds benefit the locally owned and operated affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. The organization serves Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties and is currently planning new construction on triplexes in both Montrose and Ridgway, which will bring their total new home construction to 58 homes since 1991.

Tickets are available for purchase at the ReStore or here. This event will sell out.

Montrose, CO (May 31, 2017) — Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans will host a grand opening for their new store, ROOMS by Habitat, on June 7.The grand opening festivities begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new store located at 432 E. Main St., in Montrose.

Everything in the store—which showcases a curated selection of antiques, original oil paintings, jewelry and household décor as well as unique new merchandise—will be marked at least 20% off, with opportunities to save more when shoppers join the monthly giving DreamBuilder’s Club.

Habitat Kids Care volunteers will sell lemonade and refreshments. The first 15 guests to the new store will receive a gift bag.

Proceeds from the store will support Habitat’s mission to build affordable homes in Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel Counties.

“We are excited and proud to launch this new way to shop and support Habitat’s mission with an experience that’s both different and complementary to our beloved ReStore,” said Brandon Costello, Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans Retail Director.

Habitat’s flagship ReStore is located at 1601 N. Townsend, in Montrose.

###

Take a virtual tour:

To schedule a donation pick up or to volunteer at ROOMS by habitat, contact Amber Mason at 970-252-9303 ext. 2 or visit buildinglives.org.

Habitat for Humanity Seeks Three Families for Ridgway River Park Triplex

They won’t just be building one home, they’ll build three; a triplex on North Laura Street in Ridgway.

“We’ve built over 50 homes since 1991, and we’ve done so one home at a time, but we have this great opportunity in Ridgway to partner with three families in our community,” said Habitat Executive Director, Colleen Burke.

In 2015 the Montrose based Habitat for Humanity affiliate expanded their service area to include Ouray and San Miguel Counties.

Each townhome slated for construction within the Ridgway River Park Triplex, will be 1500 sq. ft., three stories, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a garage.

A Citizen Engagement Committee, helmed by Ouray County residents Karen Dubroff and Dan Kigar, have organized and are working on a campaign to raise money and awareness for the triplex. Their first order of business is to help amplify Habitat’s call for applicants for these affordable mortgages and homes in downtown Ridgway.

“We’re not just looking for applicants,” said Dubroff, “we’re looking for families to partner with us to become homeowners.”

Through Habitat’s Homeownership program, the nonprofit is able to sell homes to qualified families at a 0-3% interest rate, with only a $500 down payment, and a set monthly mortgage payment that does not exceed 30% of the family’s gross monthly income.

According to Burke, from the time a family applies to the day they move into their home, the process takes anywhere from nine months to one year and includes hundreds of volunteer hours.

“We know that homeownership has a profound impact on families and communities. In fact, children of homeowners are 25 percent more likely to graduate high school and 116 percent more likely to graduate from college,” she said.

Looking ahead to the construction phase, which could begin later this year, Kigar said, “It’ll be a great day when we get to celebrate with three local families who we can count on to grow with our community for years.”

Applications for the Ridgway River Park Triplex are available at the ReStore in Montrose or online at buildinglives.org.

Habitat Recognizes Lisa VanAllsburg for Outstanding Service

February 2, 2018 (MONTROSE, CO) — Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans announced this week that Lisa VanAllsburg has been recognized by the organization with an Outstanding Service Award.

Lisa VanAllsburg and her son Alexander

VanAllsburg is the office assistant at the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate and also assists in Donor Relations, a position she’s held since September, 2016.

Deidre Becker, director of finance and human resources at Habitat said, “Lisa is a valuable member of our team. She truly cares about people and brings a creative and thoughtful touch to her duties. Lisa has shown her dedication to Habitat for Humanity’s core purpose in a variety of ways, including volunteering at a variety of Habitat’s functions and Build Days.”

Colleen Burke, executive director at Habitat echoed the sentiment, “She’s a team player who dives in wherever she’s needed. She’s invaluable to our staff.”

VanAllburg was recognized by her fellow employees last week with a plaque and a gift certificate, as a token of their gratitude for her efforts.

“It’s our way of letting her know we appreciate her and everything she does,” said Burke.

VanAllsburg was touched by the award. “Working with such a wonderful group of people, our partner families and the community makes my job a pleasure every day,” she said.

After volunteering with several non-profits throughout Montrose, VanAllsburg was excited to join the Habitat staff. “The commitment to families and community make me proud to call Habitat a ‘second family’ for my son and I,” she said.

“Lisa plays a very important role in making sure we are running smoothly during this incredibly important time for our organization and community,” said Burke.

By 2020, Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans will have built seven new homes, including two new triplexes in Montrose and Ridgway, bringing their total new home construction to 59 homes since 1991.

###

Habitat Recognizes Lisa VanAllsburg for Outstanding Service

February 2, 2018 (MONTROSE, CO) — Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans announced this week that Lisa VanAllsburg has been recognized by the organization with an Outstanding Service Award.

Lisa VanAllsburg and her son Alexander

VanAllsburg is the office assistant at the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate and also assists in Donor Relations, a position she’s held since September, 2016.

Deidre Becker, director of finance and human resources at Habitat said, “Lisa is a valuable member of our team. She truly cares about people and brings a creative and thoughtful touch to her duties. Lisa has shown her dedication to Habitat for Humanity’s core purpose in a variety of ways, including volunteering at a variety of Habitat’s functions and Build Days.”

Colleen Burke, executive director at Habitat echoed the sentiment, “She’s a team player who dives in wherever she’s needed. She’s invaluable to our staff.”

VanAllburg was recognized by her fellow employees last week with a plaque and a gift certificate, as a token of their gratitude for her efforts.

“It’s our way of letting her know we appreciate her and everything she does,” said Burke.

VanAllsburg was touched by the award. “Working with such a wonderful group of people, our partner families and the community makes my job a pleasure every day,” she said.

After volunteering with several non-profits throughout Montrose, VanAllsburg was excited to join the Habitat staff. “The commitment to families and community make me proud to call Habitat a ‘second family’ for my son and I,” she said.

“Lisa plays a very important role in making sure we are running smoothly during this incredibly important time for our organization and community,” said Burke.

By 2020, Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans will have built seven new homes, including two new triplexes in Montrose and Ridgway, bringing their total new home construction to 59 homes since 1991.